


The Princess and the Scholar

by RoxieFlash



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Royalty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-04 00:04:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4119430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoxieFlash/pseuds/RoxieFlash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Rose Tyler is a newly-crowned princess, and the Eighth Doctor is her tutor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Princess and the Scholar

"I hired you to teach my daughter to be a lady, Sir Doctor. Not so she could go - cavortin' about the markets like a street tramp!"

The Doctor placed his hands behind his back and gave a deep sigh. King Peter's decision to choose a bride from among the common folk had been controversial at best, and even though he himself had fully supported the decision, Her Majesty the Queen was certainly…

…something.

He clasped his hands in front and gave a gentle smile. "Your Majesty, you misunderstand! I escorted Her Grace into the markets last evening to practise certain…diplomatic skills. She's quite popular with the people, you know."

A small, proud grin graced his face, and after a moment the Queen smiled in return. His pride, at least, was genuine - Rose was popular with the people. He'd been tutoring the King's new stepdaughter for several months now, and there was really no-one quite like her. Her new role as the King's heir had not exactly come easily, but her compassion was real and her greatness of spirit was incomparable.

The pieces were there, when the time came, she would be ready.

And he would be there.

"My Rose, a princess," Queen Jacqueline clasped her heart. "She is somethin', ain't she Doctor?"

He thought of the swish of her skirts, the light of her laugh, the curve of her wicked smile. Yes, oh yes, she was.

"If Her Majesty will excuse the pun," said the Doctor, eyes twinkling. "She is a rose among thorns."

The Queen laughed. "Rascal! I suppose that'll be all, if you've got lessons to be gettin' to."

The Doctor gave Her Majesty a short bow and set off on a walk down the palace corridors. After a good, long chat with the Brigadier and popping down to the kitchen to nab a bag of sweets, his amble took him down to the orchard, where he wandered until he noticed the slim curve of an ankle hanging delicately from the branches of the furthest apple tree from the castle.

"You were seen," he said casually, leaning against the tree. "For some reason your mother had reason to think you were caught by some sort of brigand chasing you through the marketplace last night."

She tumbled, gracelessly, from the tree, so suddenly that the Doctor darted forward to catch her. At the last moment she landed on her feet in a crouch, popping up with her tongue caught between her teeth.

"You'd make a terrible brigand."

With a growl, his arm came around her waist to catch her tight against his chest.

"I caught you, didn't I?"


End file.
